This document provides an overview of key concepts in film appreciation and analysis. It discusses how films can be viewed as art forms rather than just entertainment. Some of the main elements covered include parts of a film like exposition, climax, and conclusion. It also examines film grammar including shots, angles, and mise-en-scene. Additionally, it summarizes different film genres, principles of narrative construction, and concepts of representation in cinema like gender, ethnicity, and how films portray the real world.

1. Film Appreciation and
Theories
Looking at a film more than a source of
entertainment.

2. Film Defined
A form of art executed through
science…

3. Parts of a Film/ Motion Picture
I.
Introduction
a) Location
b) Era
c) Characters
Types of Characters
- Protagonist
- Antagonist
- Intervening
- Pervading

4. II. Exposition
III. Climax
IV. Falling Action
V. Conclusion
Dialectic Principle – knowing who’s who
in the motion picture by looking at the
exact opposite.

5. Plot vs. Story
“what is it about?…”
“how does it happen?...”

6. Film Grammar
Camera shots
 Camera angles
 Camera movements
 Color
 Lights


7. Mise-en-scene
Aspects of Mise-en-scene:
- Set design
- Lighting
- Space
- Costume
- Make up and hair style
- Acting and blocking
- Filmstock
- Aspect ratio

8. Categories of Film
Realism
 Formalism
Auteur
 Classicism

Diegesis – narrated; a part of the film
which is no longer incorporated
because it’s already understood.

9. Film Genre
Genre – classification of films
 Main Film Genre
- Drama
- Action
- Adventure
- Comedy
a. slapstick
b. screwball
c. dark comedy
d. verbal comedy
e. comedy of manners
f. parody/ spoof
g. fish out of water

10. h. Gross – out – films
i. Romantic comedy
Other Hybrid genre:
- Action comedy
- Comedy horror
- Fantasy comedy
- Sci-fi comedy
- Military comedy

11. 






Horror
Musical
Science Fiction
Crime and Gangster
War/ Antiwar
Western
Epic
Non- genre
 Animated
 British film
 Family/kids oriented
 classic

12. Cult
 Documentary
 Serialized
 Erotic

Sub-genre
 Biopics
 Chick flicks
 Guy films
 Melodrama
 Creature feature

13. Disaster films
 Detective and mystery
 Fantasy
 Romance
 Film Noir
 Sports
 suspense


14. Auxillary genre – coming of age
Undertone
Other main genre:
- Supernatural

15. Principles of Narrative
Construction
How to tell the story
 Relies on the viewer to pick up
cues, anticipate action and recall
information
 Chain of events in cause – effect
relationship


16. Defining the Narrative

Todorov’s Narrative
Theory
Stage 1 – Equilibrium
(there is a state of peace
in which opposing forces
are balanced)
Stage 2 – Disruption of
equilibrium
Stage 3 – recognition of
disruption of equilibrium
Stage 4 – repair of the
disruption
Stage 5 – return to
equilibrium

Robert Mckee’s Classic
5-part Narrative Theory
Stage 1 – inciting incident
Stage 2 – progressive
complications
Stage 3 – crisis
Stage 4 – climax
Stage 5 - resolution

17. Characterization in Narratives
(by Vladimir Propp)
The hero
 The villain
 The donor
 The dispatcher
 The helper
 The princess


18. Components of a Character

Physical background
(name, age, features, health)

Sociological background (societal
status, education, upbringing)

Psychological background
(relationship with
others, philosophy, past, motivation)

19. Representation

20. Representation is central to the
understanding of how media texts are
constructed by film makers and how
they are received by a range of
different audiences.

21. Gender
events
Ethnicity
national/ regional
identities
Age
Issues

22. Representing the world in
Films
world
script
Film
world

23. Representation is a process of
SELECTION and CONSTRUCTION.

24. Representation of Gender
Gender
Masculinity
Sex
Femininity

25. Men in the media

Traditional concept

Modern concept
-
Rugged features
Mustache
Long hair
Denim
Open shirts and
medallions
Rough and ready
Action, violence and
toughness
-
Smooth features
Short hair
Thoughtfulness
Use of cosmetic and
hair products
Concern for
appearance
Designer fashion
wear
Caring and gentle
approach
-
-

26. Common representations of men
in the media

The Joker – the humorous role

The Jock – always willing his own long
term health; must fight other men when
necessary; aggressive; power and
strength; wins the approval of men and
adoration of women

The Strong Silent type – decisive;
contains emotion; in control

27. 
The Big Shot – defined by
professional status; successful

The Action Hero – strong but not
necessarily silent; often angry;
extremely aggressive; violent

The Buffoon - the clumsy father
figure; light-hearted

28. Women in the media

Traditional

Present
-
Domestic
Sex object
Promiscuous
Gentle
Dumb blonde
-
Heroine
Fierce
Confident
Self-assured
Independent
Fun
-
-

29. Plot vs. Story

Story – all events in a narrative;
explicitly presented or inferred

Plot – the explicit presentation of the
story with additional diegetic and nondiegetic material

30. Cause and Effect

The characters are the agents

Causal motivation

Assertions (significant sequence on
the movie leading to its meaning)

Pre-emptive events

31. Time (Helps understand the story)
Temporal Duration – length of the
movie/ imagined time
- Story duration – period of time referred
to in the film (real time)
- Screen duration – length of the film/
amount of time that the story is
presented
- Plot duration – stretches of time
depicted in the film/ sequence time;
amount of time that passes from the
beginning of narration to end


32. Temporal Order
- the order/ sequence of the story/
event
ex. Flashbacks/ flash forwards


Temporal Frequency
- the actual length of the film